A few weeks ago, we discovered a charming château in the heart of Burgundy. A warm, timeless place where you can stay in peace and quiet, and stroll around the magnificent grounds that surround the property.
At the heart of Burgundy’s history, Vault de Lugny is a château whose first foundations date back to 1120. Over the centuries, the magnificent building took on the role of lord’s residence and defense of the duchy of Burgundy. The first lord of the manor was Jocelin d’Arcy, one of the Duke of Burgundy’s lords. His daughter Isabelle, wife of Guy XI de Toucy, Seigneur de Bazarne, inherited the château. The château subsequently passed into other hands. In 1478, under the disgrace of King Louis XI of France, who had become Duke of Burgundy following the death of Charles the Bold, the all-too-powerful Jaucourt family, then owners of the château, saw their residence dismantled and the walls razed to the ground. Only the keep and part of the surrounding walls were left standing. Later, during the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants, the château became a gathering place for Huguenots, who regained a measure of freedom. The Jaucourt family rebuilt the estate, and remained on the Vault de Lugny lands for over four centuries. In 1773, the Chevalier Jacques-Anne de Jaucourt, the last of the Jaucourt family, sold the château to a succession of great names from Burgundy and beyond, before it was bought in 1967 by the current owners, Pascal and Élisabeth Bourzeix, who have a vision of the hotel as it is today, glorious and welcoming. Since 1971, the dungeon has been listed as a historic monument.
So it’s in a real castle that you’ll sleep, the decor reminiscent of its chivalric and epic side.
In 1986, Élisabeth Bourzeix decided to transform this place of memory, then a family residence, into a high-quality hotel. After extensive refurbishment, the hotel now boasts 14 rooms and one suite. In 1987, the château was awarded 4-star status, followed by 5-star status in 2010. The rooms, with their original parquet floors and wood panelling, are all very spacious. Some have period fireplaces for those chilly evenings in mid-season, when the romantic atmosphere of the place adds a welcome touch of cosiness. Four-poster beds and warm Euro-wall hangings make you feel like you’ve stepped out of time. The bathrooms have a rare charm. You’ll feel right at home, chatelain for a night, far from the stressful world of the modern city.
Forty hectares of beauty, a haven of delights and well-being, at Vault de Lugny everyone can find precious relaxation, taste all the mornings in the world, surrounded by the sweetness of life: fishing spots, walks, truffle spots, tennis courts…
The château’s farm is a monument in itself, but it’s also a haven for the animals who roam free and enjoy a blissful retirement: Noisette, the affectionate and mischievous goat, accompanied by the young dwarf goat Potiron. Samelia and Quodam, horses who have earned their keep. The hunting dogs Ginger and Gamin. En n the blue and white peacocks, and a whole composite family of rabbits, hens, ducks and geese… Fishing in the moat and in the Cousin, the first-category river (perch, trout, pike) will satisfy connoisseurs and amuse beginners.
Château Hôtel 5* de Vault de Lugny, The gourmet restaurant
The chefs: Franco Bowanee, head chef, and Karina Laval, pastry chef, are both students of the great Mauritian chef Nizam Peero. Since 2008, they have been based at Vault de Lugny, where they orchestrate the Château-Hôtel’s gourmet restaurant. Franco Bowanee has worked with Chef Gérard Besson (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) and with Christophe Muller, Paul Bocuse’s executive chef at the 3-star Collonges restaurant. Finding this young chef truly talented in his interpretation of products and his approach to cooking, Christophe Muller sponsored Franco Bowanee and the Château de Vault de Lugny restaurant for the Collège Culinaire de France, an award he received in July 2013. Franco Bowanee’s cuisine is a poem on the plate, a surprise to the eye, and just as healthy and delicious. It features a harmonious blend of regional Burgundy produce – some straight from the Château’s kitchen garden, with its 140 varieties of fruit, vegetables, truffles and edible flowers – and spices from Mauritius, the homeland of this imaginative chef. A sincere, inspired cuisine that honors the blending of genres with taste.
The Indian inspiration of Mauritian gastronomy and the vegetarian tradition contribute to make Mauritius a magical place, where you can enjoy a refined, exquisite cuisine, perfumed with spices, herbs, and the tastiest vegetables and fruits in a thousand colors. Franco Bowanee has drawn on his memories of flavors, aromas and tastes to create an entirely vegetarian menu. Beautiful French cuisine, like an invitation to travel to the island paradise in the heart of Burgundy… The vegetarian menu is served from May until closing.
Autumn, a beautiful season full of colors and aromas in nature… and on our plates! In this season, fresh truffles and hunting dishes are in the spotlight at Vault de Lugny. In the heart of Burgundy, Château de Vault de Lugny offers guests the chance to “hunt for truffles” on the estate in September and October. In a park of more than 40 hectares, with Dobble, the estate’s Lagotto Romagnolo truffle dog, residents wander the magnificent truffle field and woods, to unearth the finest truffles that chef Franco Bowanee will cook for them, according to the mood and produce of the day. This is also the time when Franco Bowanee puts traditional hunting dishes on his menu, which he cooks with skill and passion, such as hare à la Royale, or boar leg stew.
Head gardener Jean Rappeneau puts all his care into the production of fruit and vegetables from the 8,000 m2 vegetable garden, orchard and truffle farm in the Château grounds. The finest freshly-picked produce will grace the Vault de Lugny table.
In its quiet coolness, the Cave houses some 9,000 bottles. Some of Burgundy’s most talented small producers, including Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Leroy, Jean-Louis Chave, Guigal, Mouton Rothschild, Pétrus, Pape Clément, Château d’Yquem, Zind Humbrecht… all of them legendary bottles.
Détente Sublime
In a luxurious and serene setting, the 5* Château Hôtel de Vault de Lugny, in Burgundy, offers a lunch paired with an afternoon of relaxation by the pool and in the grounds of the property: the Détente Sublime. With this formula, the Château offers a moment out of time in the old Burgundy stone vaulted cellars of the pool and jacuzzi area. Voted “Piscine d’or 2008”, the pool and jacuzzi are part of an idyllic setting for well-being and relaxation, worthy of the greatest SPAs. Lunch is prepared by chef Franco Bowanee, whose cuisine is a delicious blend of regional products from Burgundy and even directly from the Château’s kitchen garden, and spices from Mauritius, his homeland.
To keep you dreaming, don’t forget to visit the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene in Vézelay and the Vespers service sung by the entire community in four-part polyphony. It’s a magical moment.
CHATEAU HOTEL 5 * DE VAULT DE LUGNY
11 rue du Château
89200 Vault de Lugny
Tel. +33 (0) 3 86 34 07 86
www.lugny.fr
Le Château closes its doors annually from early November to late March
BY CAR:
10 minutes from the A6 freeway, exit Avallon –
In Avallon, take the D-957 towards Vézelay
In Pontaubert take the D-142, first road on the right after the church in the village.
BY TRAIN :
Take a cab from Avallon station to the Château ( 10mn )
Direct from Paris Bercy to Avallon 08h20-11h06 ( 2h46 ) daily. Friday 16h13-19h04 ( 2h51)
Return Direct from Avallon to Paris Bercy 16h53-19h44 ( 2h51 ) daily
www.sncf.com
BY PLANE:
Orly International airport: 2 hours
Charles de Gaulle International airport: 2 hours 30
Dijon: Regional airport: 1 hour
Auxerre: Regional airport: 35 mn
www.aeroport.fr
BY HELICOPTER:
GPS coordinates 47°29’44”N 3°51’13”E
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
